ROGER FEDERER insists he is looking forward to another “monster match” after landing a potential quarter-final showdown with Rafa Nadal in the Wimbledon draw.

The defending champion claimed that the presence of the Big Four at the first grand slam since last year’s Wimbledon adds an extra buzz to proceedings – although Nadal’s long battle with injury has seen him drop in the rankings to fifth.

It means Federer has to face the Spaniard a round earlier than usual, with Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic also in his path if he is to claim an 18th grand slam title.

“We are all talking about a very high level and it was always going to be difficult to win Wimbledon,” said Federer. “Nobody said it would be a walk in the park.

“If those big matches roll around we will have played a lot of tennis already. It is not like the grass will be super green. It is not the first week any more, a lot of tennis has been played.

“If you want to win this type of tournament anyway, you have to beat the best. You don’t want to hope for a good draw. You don’t hope for the worst draw either.

“At the same time you have to feel confident enough that you can do it all. It’s not an easy draw for Rafa, it’s not an easy draw for me, it’s not an easy draw for Andy.

“At the end of the day I am very much focused on my first round. If then the quarter-finals with Rafa would come along, it’s great news.

“I’m super excited. We’ve had some monster matches here in the past. That’s how I see it.”

Federer was able to take a break from tennis this year and spent some time at home in Switzerland with his family in order to be in the best mental shape.

Furthermore, he feels it is the psychological barrier which Murray will find hardest to counteract as he seeks to go one further than the runners-up spot he claimed last year. “I thought he was ready to win slams three years ago,” said Federer. “He knows that and everybody knew that.

“He was able to tune his game and have a better mindset and he started not to struggle against lower-ranked players any more. That gives players the belief that they are strong when the big guys come around.

Rafael Nadal could be set to face Roger Federer in the Wimbeldon quarter-final

I’m super excited. We’ve had some monster matches here in the past. That’s how I see it

Roger Federer

"But last year the pressure of Wimbledon I always knew was going to be hard for him. Nothing really changed for me, I’ve always had a tough time against Andy, he’s just a very good tennis player. And Andy believes even more so this year that he can win. I think it’s normal after how well he played at Wimbledon, and he played very well at the Olympics.

“So he proved his point, you know, and then the US Open happened as well so he should be very confident.

“It’s just the last remaining thing was, ‘Roger’s better in the Slams’. I don’t know how Andy prepares for the Slams, if he puts less pressure on it, if I play better in the Slams. I doubt it.”

After 17 grand slam successes, Federer could be forgiven for not caring enough about another title. But the opposite is the case. “I think you have to have that drive and anxiety wanting to achieve great things,” he said.

“I’m not here just to play third round, I’m here to do exceptional stuff and be in the later stages of the tournament and go through incredible atmospheres out on Centre Court and all those things.

“It is very important to me to compete and win the big tournaments. Sometimes you feel you will just rake the wins in one after another and then all of a sudden you don’t win two and hmm, it’s not that easy after all.”

Nadal warmed up by notching a tight 7-6, 7-6 victory over Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the exhibition BNP Paribas Tennis Classic at the Hurlingham Club.

Nadal, playing his first match since lifting the French Open title for a record eighth time 12 days ago, said: “It is always a pleasure to play on grass. I always love it. I’m happy to be back.”